NEWS & BLOG.

While
the weekly back-and-forth between the First Minister and her questioners took
place, as usual, in the debating chamber in Holyrood this week; it was events
occurring outside the Scottish Parliament’s imposing grey walls that were at
the forefront of the debate. As could have been anticipated from the recent
media coverage and general tenor of Scottish politics, the investigation into
accusations of sexual abuse by former First Minister, Alex Salmond, very much
dominated the first FMQs of 2019.

Scottish
Conservative interim leader, Jackson Carlaw, still standing-in for Ruth
Davidson, opened proceedings by quizzing Nicola Sturgeon on the extent to which
she had been involved in the investigation into her predecessor. The FM
remained adamant, even a little indignant, in saying that she had not acted
inappropriately and went to great lengths to demonstrate exactly how clean her
hands were in the whole affair.

Undaunted,
Mr Carlaw continued with this topic throughout his questioning – suggesting
that owing to the circumstances surrounding meetings held between Ms Sturgeon,
Mr Salmond, and some senior officials that there should be a Holyrood inquiry
to the issue. Seeming slightly backed into a corner, Ms Sturgeon attempted to
reassure the Eastwood MSP that she would cooperate with whatever Parliament
decided was to be done on the issue. The First Minister appeared to rest much
of her case on the distinction between her role as the head of the Scottish
Government and as leader of the Scottish National Party – a distinction which
drew some of Mr Carlaw’s most derisory replies to date.

During
her answers to Jackson Carlaw, the First Minster expressed her dismay at
feeling as if she were being simultaneously accused of collaborating with and
conspiring against the former FM – a sentiment that must have continued
throughout her answers to Labour leader, Richard Leonard, who picked up the
topic pretty much where his Tory opposite number left it.

Mr
Leonard stressed, to much agreement, that it was the women involved in this
case who ought to be treated with utmost compassion and dignity and who
deserved to see justice done. The Labour boss was also emphatic in his call for
an independent inquiry into how the matter has been handled by the Scottish
Government as well as stating bluntly that he believed that the First Minister
had made a significant “error of judgement” and calling on her to refer herself
to the independent scrutinising body at Holyrood which deals with issues
relating to the Ministerial Code. Again, Ms Sturgeon reiterated that she would
cooperate fully with whatever happens next in this sorry saga.

Away
from the issue of Mr Salmond’s on-going court case, questions touched on issues
including council funding, ant-Semitism, and employment rights. Also, as part
of an emerging pattern, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, was
reprimanded by Presiding Officer, Ken Mcintosh, for his almost insulting
Education Secretary, John Swinney, via an out of context quote used during one
of his questions.

However,
these other questions could not distract from the sober and sombre atmosphere
that blanketed the usually lively sparring session at Holryood. The amount of
attention paid to the Salmond case demonstrates that although the powers of the
Scottish Parliament are clearly defined, sometimes it is events outside the
EH99 postcode that dictate the political mood and tone in Scotland. If today’s
FMQs is anything to go by, it must surely be hoped that the ex-First Minister’s
case is handled efficiently and diligently from this point on, the Scottish
political mood music of the immediate future may very well depend on it.